AUTISM SPEAKS' COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMMES
As important as individual grants, collaborative projects give Autism Speaks a much more proactive role in promoting specific research. Initiatives frequently involve formation of collaborative research consortia, support of targeted research, organisation of research meetings, and creation of research resources. Autism is a complex disorder and we believe initiatives that bring together researchers in varied fields (genetics, behavioural sciences, and many others) promote a collaborative approach that will help solve the mysteries of this devastating disorder as quickly as possible.
Our targeted initiatives and collaborative programmes include:
The Autism Genome Project (AGP) is the largest study ever conducted to find the genes associated with inherited risk for autism. The project is a public/private research partnership involving a consortium of approximately 50 academic and research institutions. The ultimate goal is to enable doctors to biologically diagnose autism and researchers to develop effective interventions.
A remarkable corporate donation of £200,000 was made to Autism Speaks in June. This gift was timely, as it will enable Autism Speaks to fund an exciting new project - the Brain Bank for Autism - at the University of Oxford. We are extremely indebted to our donor for making this initiative possible.
The Brain Bank for Autism is seeking to collect post–mortem brains, so that our finest scientists in brain tissue research can start look at how the autistic brain differs from the neurotypical brain. Such ground breaking research could really make a difference in seeking new ideas for interventions and treatments in the future.
British Autism Study of Infant Siblings (BASIS)
BASIS scientists will investigate whether there are any differences in development between infants who have brothers or sisters with autism and those who do not. In the long term, this will help identify the early signs of the disorder, allowing for earlier and more effective intervention aimed at improving the quality of life of children with autism.
The High Risk Baby Sibling Autism Research Consortium
Operates in North America and Israel. The UK’s own consortium BASIS collaborates actively with this group.
The Brain Development Initiative focuses on the abnormal brain development in autism. This initiative focuses on bridging research disciplines – brain structure, function, chemistry and genetics—to fund innovative work in understanding why brain development goes awry.
The Autism Tissue Programme established in the US in 1998, making brain tissue available to qualified researchers to examine, at the microscope level, changes in brain structure and organisation associated with autism. In 2007 the Autism Tissue Programme was extended to the UK, having received ethical approval.
Autism Epidemiology Network. Autism Speaks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are co-sponsoring the Autism Epidemiology Network in an international effort to understand the causes of autism, particularly across diverse genetic and cultural settings.
Environmental Factors in Autism Initiative. The role of environmental factors in the development of autism is a crucial area of study. This initiative targets research that seeks to understand and identify the potential role environmental factors play in triggering autism.